Elevator control device



ch 1 1935. F. A. PAVONE W,

ELEVATOR CONTROL DEVICE Filed Dec. 19, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l ENVENTOR FEEDER/CK A. PA VOA/E Get. 15, 1935. F. A. PAVONE ELEVATOR CONTROL DEVICE Filed Dec. 19, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 aw u INVENTOR F/FEOE/WC/r A. p m/vf.

BY ATTORNEY Oct. 15, 1935. F A A N 2,017,547

ELEVATOR CONTROL DEVICE Filed Dec. 19, 1931 3 5heets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR fkfafmc/r A. PA VO/YE BY ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELEVATOR CONTROL DEVICE Frederick A.'Pavone, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application December 19, 1931, Serial No. 582,035

11 Claims.

This invention relates to elevator control apparatus andparticularly to an auxiliary control for use when testing the elevator cables or doing other maintenance or repair work in the elevat-or shaft.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an auxiliary control for an elevator which may be operated from the roof of the elevator car.

Another object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary controlling device for an elevator which when in use automatically renders the regular elevator control inoperative.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary control for an elevator which limits the speed of the elevator to the slower speeds only both up and down.

Other objects 01' the invention and objects relating particularly to the construction and assembly of the various parts will be apparent as the description thereof proceeds.

One embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

'Fig. l is a sectional side elevation of an elevator supported for vertical movement in its shaft and with the device of the invention incorporated;

Fig. 2 is a sectional front view of the auxiliary control box;

' Fig. 3is a sectional side view of the control box shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4. is an electrical wiring diagram showing the manner of connecting the auxiliary control to the elevator control;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the receptacle used for making the connection;

6 is a perspective view of the plug adapted to fit the receptacle of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view showing the interior of the receptacle of Fig. 5; and

8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5 and showing the plug in its connected position with the receptacle.

When testing or inspecting the cables of an elevator or oiling the shaft guides, or other equipment it is often necessary for the mechanic to stand on the roof of the elevator while an operator in the car runs the elevator up or down in accordance with the instructions of the mechanic on the roof. This process is' dangerous inasmuch as it depends on the operator in the car c rrectly interpreting the instructions of the man on the roof to go in the proper direction and at the proper speed. It is also possible for the operator in the car to start the car at full speed either up or down when the mechanic on the roof is not expecting it with consequent danger to him. In addition to these disadvantages the process requires the employment of two men for 5 work which may be simply accomplished by one man providing he can control the movement of the car.

The invention, therefore, broadly consists of an auxiliary. control device which may be re- 10 movably mounted on the top of the car so that it can be easily reached from any position on the roof and including automatic means to disconnect the control apparatus inside of the car to prevent anyone from moving the car while the 15 man is working on the top.

Referring now more specifically to the draw lngs an elevator car I0 is shown mounted for vertical movement in a shaft I I, in the usual manner well known in the art, and supported by 20 the cables 12. A control box I3 is shown mounted on two supports 14 extending to the fiooor l5 oi the car and through one of these supports, which are preferably tubular, extends the cable l6 by means of..which electrical connection is 26 made between the control box and the driving-1 mechanism positioned at the'top of the shaft. This driving mechanism has not been illustrated as it may beany of the well known types of driving apparatus used for the raising and lowering 80 of elevators.

A receptacle I! is mounted adjacent the control box l3 in the wall of the elevator car and is connected to the control box by means of a cable I8. This receptacle contains the automatic 35 switch for disconnecting the main control box l3 and also the .contacts for making the connection to the auxiliary control and will be described more indetail hereinafter.

The auxiliary control comprises a control box 40 19' attached to a cable 20 upon the other end of which is mounted the plug 2| for insertion in the receptacle l1 whereby the auxiliary control l9 becomes operative and the regular control I 3 becomes inoperative. 45

The regular control box I3 is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4 and comprises an arm 22 which is pivoted at 23 for limited rotary movement. A contactor brush 24 is mounted in the other end of the arm 22 beyond the pivot 23 and sweeps in an arc over a plurality of contacts which operate relays in the driving mechanism in a manner well known in the art. Thus a central contact 25 is adapted to be connected to the power side of the circuit while a plurality of contacts 26, 21, 28.

29, and 38 are connected by means of wires 3|, 32, 33, 34, and 35 to relays which when operated connect the power through successively diminishing resistances to the motor to operate it in the up direction. Similarly a plurality of contacts 36, 31, 36, 39, and 48 are connected by means of wires 4|, 42, 43, 44, and 45 to relays which when operated connect the power through a series of diminishing resistances to the motor so as to drive it in a down" direction. Thus when the arm 22 is moved toward the down position or in a clock-wise direction the main brush 24 bridges the power contact 25 and successively the contacts 26, 21, 28, 29, and 38, thus starting the car downwardly and increasing its speed up to the contact 38. In the same manner when the arm 22 is moved in a counter-clockwise direction toward the up position the contact 24 bridges the power contact 25 and successively the contacts 36, 31, 38, 39, and 48, thus starting the car upwardly and increasing its speed as the successive contacts are bridged. This construction is well known in the art and is no part of the present invention.

The receptacle I1 positioned adjacent the control box I3 may, if desired, have the same number of contacts as is provided in the main control box I3 but preferably I reduce the number of these contacts so as to eliminate the high speeds to make it impossible to travel fast when the mechanic is on the top of the car. In the present instance I have shown three contacts on each side for the up and down movements of the car instead of the five on each side which have been illustrated in the main control box I3. Thus contacts 46, 41, and 48 are connected respectively to the up contacts 36, 31, and 38 by means of the wires 49, 58, and 5|, while the contacts 52, 53, and 54 areconnected respectively to the down contacts 26, 21, and 28 by means of the wires 55, 56, and 51. These contacts, shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4, are more accurately represented in Figs. 5 and '7 and each may comprise a post 58 having a hole 59 in the center to receive one of the pins of the plug to be hereinafter described.

The receptacle I1 also contains an automatic switch for disconnecting the power supply to the control box I3. To this end a metal plate 6| is secured to the base 68 as by suitable screws 62 and is provided with a contact 63 which normally engages a second contact 64 mounted on a plate 65 secured to the base 68 by means of a suitable screw 66. Normally the contact 25 of the main control box I3 would be connected to the power side of the circuit by means of the wire 61 but in the present instance this wire is extended to pass through the conduit I8 and is connected to the switch plate 6I. A wire 68 is connected between the plate 65 and the contact 25 in the control box I3. When the two contacts 63 and 64 are touching each other, as they normally are, the contact 25 in the main control box I3 will be connected to power by means of the wire 68, but when these contacts are separated the power supply to the contact 25 is cut off.

The auxiliary control box I9 comprises a casing in which is mounted an arm 69 similar to the arm in the main control box I3 so that it will rotate through a limited distance about a pivot point 10. The arm 69 protrudes through a suitable slot 1| in the casing and is provided with a handle 12 for grasping it conveniently. The arm 69 carries an arcuate contactor member 13 which is adapted to make the necessary contacts when the arm is moved in either direction about the central position as shown in Fig. 2. An'arcuate insulating block 14 is provided mounted directly beneath the contactor member 13 and a plurality of contacts 6 15, 16, and 11 are mounted on this block and extend outwardly into the path of the main contactor member 13. A central contact member 18 corresponds to the contact 25 in the main control box and preferably is provided with a centrally cut 10 out portion 19 which provides a space between it and the contactor member 13 when the latter is in its central or neutral position. The ends of the contact member 18 are raised to the same level as the contacts 15, 16, and 11 and provide 15 a contact 88 adjacent the contact 15 which may be bridged by the contactor 13 when the arm is moved toward the left or in a counter-clockwise direction. The contacts 15, 16, and 11 are connected respectively by the wires BI, 82, 83, to the 20 split pin terminals 84, 85, and 86 in the plug 2|. These wires are contained in the cable 28. The contacts 15, 16, and 11 in the auxiliary control box constitute the three lower "up speeds and correspond to the contacts 36, 31, and 3B of the 25 main control box I3.

In like manner three down contacts 81, 8B, and 89 are provided on the right hand side of the insulating block 14 of the auxiliary control box and are adapted to be contacted by the contactor 13 when it is moved toward the right, an addi tional contact 98 being provided at the right hand end of the contact 18 to connect the contactor 13 to the power supply. These three contacts 81, 88, and 89 are connected by means of wires 9I, 92, 93 to the split pin terminals 94, 95, 96 in the terminal plug 2|.

The contact 18 in the auxiliary box is connected by means of a wire 91 to a flat terminal pin 98 provided in the plug 2 I. This flat pin 98 is adapt- 40 ed to contact with two prongs 99 attached to the plate BI in the receptacle I1 and to thereby connect the contact 18 with the power circuit. An insulating plug I88 having the same general shape as the pin 98 is also provided in the plug 2I and 5 is adapted to pass between the contacts 63 and 64 when the plug is inserted into the receptacle, thus breaking the power connection to the contact 25 of the main receptacle.

If desired a weight I8! may be provided on the 5 lower end of the arm 69 of the auxiliary control for normally returning the control to its neutral central position by gravity, and a pin I82 may also be provided in the upper end of the arm 69 to engage a notch I83 in an arcuate plate I84 pro- 55 vided on the top of the box I9. The pin I82 may be urged outwardly by a spring I05 and may be connected to the handle 12 by a pin I86 so that the pin I02 may be moved to clear the notch I83 by pulling the handle 12. By this construction so the controlling arm may be automatically locked in neutral position so that the car cannot be started unless the operator pulls the handle 12 outwardly.

Also I prefer to mount the auxiliary control box 85 I9 on a convenient part of the elevator roof where it may be easily reached from any position on the car. As shown, the box is mounted directly on one of the cables I2 by means of two clamping bars I81 which securely hold the cable between 70 them and the control box I9 when the wing nuts I68 are tight. Any other convenient method of mounting the control box, however, may be utilized, such as a bracket especially made for that purpose and mounted on the top of the car, or i! 7 desired the mechanic may carry the control box strapped to his own person.

When the mechanic is ready to inspect the cables of the elevator car or make any necessary repairs or adjustments from the roof thereof he will stop the car at a floor level, open the car door and the door of the shaft, and after inserting the plug 2! into the receptacle II he will step out of the car on to the floor. Standing on the floor he will then move the auxiliary control handle 12 toward the right as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 which will start the car downwardly. When the roof of the car comes level with the floor he will move the handle again to its neutral position and then step on to the roof of the car whereupon he will close the shaft door. He will then secure the control box to one of the cables as indicated in Fig. l, and he may then make his necessary res, inspection, or adjustments controlling the movement and speed of the car by manipulating the control box himself. When he is through making the repairs, adjustments, or inspection he will move the car so that the roof thereof is even with of the floors, open the shaft door, remove the control box from the cables, step out on to the floor, move the handle 12 of the control box toward the up position or toward the left whereupon the car will move upwardly, return the handle to its neutral position when the floor of the car reaches the floor level, step into the car, remove the plug 2 l, and the car will then be ready to operate in its normal manner.

Due to the fact that the main contact of the regular control box I? is disconnected from its power supply by means of the plug I which-separates the contact point 63 and 64 in the receptacle li, no one can move the car from the main control box when the auxiliary control box is in neutral position and hence the mechanic on the roof is protected against accidental movement of the car. As the up and down contacts in the auxiliary control box are connected to the contacts in the regular control box the latter contacts become energized when the auxiliary control be ig used. It is possible therefore by moving the gular control handle to increase the speed 0. car in which ever direction it is moving under control of the auxiliary control box; but it is impossible to energize the up contacts, for instance, when the auxiliary control box is set for down, or vice versa, and it is always possible to stop the car by throwing the auxiliary control handle to its neutral position regardless of the main control box as this removes the power from 'all the contacts.

Also it will be note-d that if the plug 2| is inadvertently pulled out of the receptacle IT the car will immediately stop and the main control box will remain in its neutral position and will then be connected.

While any number of speeds may be provided in the auxz i'iry control I preferably limit the speeds to the slower ones or those which are absolutely essential for making necessary tests on the car which I believe is an added safety precaution for mechanic using the device.

While one type of elevator controlling mechanism has been illustrated it is evident that the invention is adaptable to any type of electrical elevator control and may be used on other systerns, the essential features being a control box similar to the control box in the car, means to connect the two together, and means to disconnect the power from the main box when the auxiliary control is connected. This latter means may, of course, be dispensed with but is anadded'feature of safety.

Many other modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof, and I do not therefore desire to limit "5' myself to what has been shown and described except as such limitations occur in the appended claims.

What I desire to secure and claim by Letters Patent is: 1. In elevatorcontrolling apparatus a regular control box for the elevator, a remote control box for the elevator, releasable means for connecting said auxiliary control box to said regular control box, and automatic means for disconnecting the power supply of the regular control box when the auxiliary control box is connected.

2. In elevator control apparatus a portable control box, an extensible cable connected to said control box, releasable means to connect said cable to the regular controlling apparatus of an elevator, and automatic means to disconnect. the power supply of said regular controlling apparatus when said auxiliary control box is connected.

3. A controlling attachment for elevators comprising an auxiliary control box provided with power and control contacts, a flexible cable connected to said control box a controller attached thereto, a plug on the end of said flexible cable, a main control box provided with power and control contacts, means to electrically connect the control contacts only of said main and auxiliary control box when said plug is inserted in said receptacle, and a second controller attached to the main control box.

4. In an elevator control system a receptacle permanently positioned in each elevator car, a plurality of contacts in said receptacle, means to connect said contacts with the contacts of the regular control apparatus, an auxiliary control box, a plurality of contacts in said auxiliary control box, a plug, a plurality of contact pins on said plug, means to connect said pins to the contacts in said auxiliary control box, and means to selectively connect the contacts in said auxiliary control box to the contacts in the regular elevator control apparatus when said plug is inserted in said receptacle and to disable the regular control.

5. In a system for elevator control a regular control box for an elevator car, a receptacle permanently mounted in the car, a plurality of contacts in said receptacle, means to connect said contacts to the up and down contacts in the control box, an auxiliary control box, a plurality of contacts in said auxiliary control box corresponding to the contacts in said regular control box but being less in number, a plug, contact pins on said plug adapted to fit into the contacts of said receptacle, a flexible cable connecting said plug with said auxiliary control box whereby said pins are selectively connected to the contacts in said box, a, bridging contactor in said regular control box, a bridging contactor in said auxiliary control box and means to disconnect the power side of the circuit from said bridging contactor in said regular control box and connect the power side of the circuit to the bridging contactor in said auxiliary control box when said plug is inserted in said receptacle.

6. In an elevator having a control box with a plurality of speeds up and a plurality of speeds down, an auxiliary control box, an up contact in said box, a down contact in said box, a third contact in said box adapted to connect alternatively with said up contact or down contact, flexible means to releasably connect said contacts with one of the up contacts and one of the down contacts in said regular control box and to connect said third contact to the power side of the circuit, and automatic means for disengaging the regular control box when connection has been established between the regular and auxiliary control boxes.

7. In elevator controlling apparatus a main control box for the elevator, an auxiliary control box for the elevator, control contacts in said boxes, disconnectable electrical circuit connections between the two sets of control contacts only, means in said auxiliary control box for establishing a closed circuit through the circuit connection, and means in said main control box for varying only the current flow through said circuit connection.

8. In an elevator control apparatus a power circuit for the elevator, control circuits for the elevator, means for controlling direction and amount of current flow through said control circuits, and additional means operative only when said first means is operative for varying only the amount of current flow in the control circuit.

9. The combination with an electric elevator of a main control box, an auxiliary control box, control contacts in said boxes, connections between the sets of contacts in the two boxes, manual control means at the auxiliary box to establish a circuit through said connection, means at the main control box for varying only the amount of current in said connection, and means for automatically breaking the circuit flow through said connection when the manual auxiliary control means is released.

10. In an electrical controlling apparatus a main control box for the elevator, an auxiliary control box for the elevator, control contacts in said boxes, the number of contacts in the main control box exceeding that in the auxiliary control box, disconnectable electrical circuit connections between all of the control contacts of the auxiliary box and a corresponding number of contacts in the main box, a contactor brush in said auxiliary control box for establishing a closed circuit through the circuit connection and a contactor brush in said main control box for connecting the unconnected contacts to the circuit 10 connection.

11. In an elevator control apparatus a power circuit for the elevator, control circuits for the elevator, a first controller for starting, stopping,

reversing, and accelerating the movement of the IE elevator, and a second controller electrically connected to said first controller for accelerating only the movement of the elevator.

FREDERICK A. PAVONE. 80 

